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Olivia Newton-John was already an international pop star when her role as shy-turned-sexy Sandy in the movie musical Grease catapulted her to superstardom. That success was followed by several film roles, four Grammy-winning albums, and 15 chart-topping singles - including "Physical," which topped the Billboard charts for 10 weeks in 1981. She continued to act and record in the years that followed, but her career came to an abrupt halt when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. Olivia fought the disease and won and has since become a tireless champion for breast cancer awareness and early detection.

Now she's lending both her energy and her name to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre, a hospital and wellness facility that is being built in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. To raise funds, she recently led a three-week, 140-mile walk along the Great Wall of China. She also is donating proceeds from her recent album "A Celebration in Song," which features duets with notable crooners Barry Gibb and Sir Cliff Richard, among others.

Olivia spoke to Everyday Health on the eve of her 60th birthday, talking about her personal breast cancer journey, the importance of knowing your body, and what you can do to catch breast cancer early.

Everyday Health: How did you discover that you had breast cancer?

Olivia Newton-John: I was diagnosed in 1992 after a self examination, which led me to my doctor for further testing. I wasn't feeling right, and I had found lumps before, but this time, it just felt different. My doctor recommended a mammogram, which was negative, but my instincts were telling me that something wasn't right. From there, we did a needle biopsy, which also was negative. After a surgical biopsy, they found the cancer. I don't tell the story to scare people but to really stress the importance of knowing your own body and trusting your instincts. This is the very reason I am now such a big supporter of monthly breast self exams.

Everyday Health: How did you cope with the diagnosis?

Olivia Newton-John: I was going through a lot at the time (my father had just died of cancer), and I just remember feeling very numb. I would make silly jokes and laugh, which was my way of dealing with everything that was happening. Of course, it was a very scary time, but I decided that I was going to do everything I needed to in order to beat it - Eastern and Western medicines, acupuncture, meditation - everything.

Everyday Health: Your daughter, Chloe, was young at the time. How did she react?

Olivia Newton-John: I didn't want to scare her, so I didn't tell her. Chloe's best friend died of cancer at the age of 5, so she equated the word cancer with death. She ended up finding out at school when a playmate came up to her and said, "I hear your mum's got cancer." When she came home and approached me about it, she was angry and said: "You should have told me. I could have taken care of you!" I'll never forget that moment.

Everyday Health: What was your treatment for breast cancer like, and how did it change your life?

Olivia Newton-John: I did everything I could to take care of myself - body, mind, and spirit. I look at my cancer journey as a gift: It made me slow down and realize the important things in life and taught me to not sweat the small stuff. Enjoy the day, accept help when you need it, and be grateful for every day you have. Each morning, I wake up and I am grateful to be on this planet another day to enjoy the things and people I love and hold dear to my heart.

Everyday Health: What helped you get through the experience?

Olivia Newton-John: My family and friends were definitely the key to my recovery. One thing that I do suggest is that anyone dealing with a life-threatening illness like cancer choose a point person for people to call to find out how you are doing - a sister, brother, mother, father, daughter, son, or close friend. Picking someone close to you to report the news about your health to everyone else frees up time - time you need to heal and become well.

Everyday Health: What else should women know about dealing with breast cancer?

Olivia Newton-John: The more information you have, the more you will understand what is going on with your own health. Most women don't do regular breast self examinations, mainly because they are either intimidated by what they might find or they're confused as to how to do the self exam correctly. Liv Aid eliminates all of these concerns because it makes breast self exams easy to perform.

Everyday Health: You recently led a walk along the Great Wall of China, which was joined by various celebrities and cancer survivors. What was that experience like?

Olivia Newton-John: The "Great Walk to Beijing" was a fundraiser for my cancer center. It was a three-week trek with fellow cancer "thrivers," including celebrities ranging from Joan Rivers to Leeza Gibbons, and Olympians. The experience changed my life and created bonds because we all walked together and shared our stories.

Unfortunately, my husband lost his sister-in-law to cancer while we were on the Walk. He had to leave early and got home just before she passed. That made it even more important for us to finish the challenge of the Great Walk: so we can find new ways to treat cancer by healing the body, mind, and spirit.

I am very excited about plans for the new hospital center because it will have places to go to have a massage, sip a cup of tea, meditate, and talk to others going through the same thing. I would have loved to have had a place like that when I was going through breast cancer treatment. We hope to break ground in the next year or so.

Everyday Health: How has breast cancer changed your approach to your life and your career?

Olivia Newton-John: It really has made me focus on helping other women going through the illness. Building my cancer center is a major focus for me, and encouraging and empowering other women to take control of their breast health is a passion of mine. Also, music has always been my therapy, and I have had the joy of creating music with a healing message. I don't worry about recording hit songs: I am more focused on music as a healing tool and hope it brings some comfort to listeners.

Everyday Health: Speaking of your music, what are some of your favorite career moments?

Olivia Newton-John: For sure, "Grease" is one of the biggest highlights, as it changed my life. The movie is timeless, and at my live concerts I have everyone from 5-year-olds to grandparents who all love the film. I made some wonderful friends while making "Grease," and to this day I still remain close to John [Travolta, who played Danny] and Didi Conn [who played Frenchie]. It's nice to be a part of something that will go on and continue to bring joy to so many people.

Another fun project was filming the television series "Sordid Lives" [which aired on the cable network LOGO]. I got to reprise my role of the ex-convict bar singer Bitsie Mae Harling with a cast of wonderful actors, including Rue McClanahan, Caroline Rhea, and Lesley Jordan. My character is completely opposite of who I am in real life, and it just made her so much fun to play! Del Shores, a dear friend and the creator of the series, had me write new songs specifically for the series. It was a blast!

Everyday Health: Your newest album, "A Celebration in Song," features duets with a number of your talented friends, including Keith Urban, Barry Gibb, and Cliff Richard. How did that album come about?

Olivia Newton-John: I am very proud of this album. Originally I had written the song "Right Here with You" with Delta Goodrem, a huge pop star in Australia, who is releasing her first album in the United States. Delta is a fellow cancer "thriver," and along with my producer, Amy Sky, we wrote "Right Here with You" while in Australia to be the theme song for the "Great Walk to Beijing." From there, the album evolved, and I had the chance to work with some amazingly talented artists from around the world. The really special aspect of this album is that the proceeds from the CD sales will go to my cancer center.

Everyday Health: Congratulations on your recent marriage to John Easterling. What's next for you, both career-wise and personally?

Olivia Newton-John: Thank you! John is a wonderful man, who has been involved with the Amazon rainforest for more than 30 years. You never know what the future holds, so I am just enjoying being happy, healthy and having my wonderful husband by my side. I'm a firm believer that I am here today and stronger than before because of self examination and early detection!

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